1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to high-density microelectronic modules. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for electrical interconnection in a high-density microelectronic module comprised of stacked, integrated circuit-containing layers and a device incorporating same.
2. Description of the Background Art
Microelectronic products that provide high circuit density in a very small space are desirable for use in a variety of applications such as consumer electronics, wireless telecommunication devices and space and military applications. By taking advantage of the ability to stack layers containing microelectronic circuit circuitry and then interconnecting those layers, ultra-high circuit density can be achieved in a very small form factor. Examples of high-density, stacked microelectronics are illustrated in a number of U.S. patents issued to common assignee, Irvine Sensors Corp., including U.S. Pat. No. 6,072,234, to Camien, U.S. Pat. No. 6,560,109 to Yamaguchi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,820 to Go and U.S. Pat. No. 6,784,547 to Pepe, et al., all of which are fully incorporated herein.
Stacked microelectronic modules necessarily require the electrical interconnection of various individual I/O leads or pads of the integrated circuit die or packages contained in the individual stacked layers for the rerouting of electrical signals and power. Existing interconnection methods undesirably require complicated and expensive processes involving multiple photolithographic, plating and etching steps. In applications where the stacked microelectronic module requires the interconnection of leads that are on surfaces of the stack or of a layer, a simple, inexpensive interconnection method is desirable.